Often referred to as the “lungs of the planet”, the Amazon Rainforest is arguably unrivalled in its ability to spark emotion in defence of the natural environment. NASA has been tracking the pattern of deforestation in the Amazon since 1998, and so in 2013 (when I began my GCSEs), images like the one below were a staple of my scientific education and perhaps the first seed sown in pursuit of a career that concerned our environment.
Landsat imagery used by NASA to track deforestation in the Amazon
Between 2004 and 2012, the rate of deforestation in the Amazon fell by more than 85%, since then a gentle positive trend has seen it rise again but still 63% below the 2004 high.[i]
Deforestation area in the Brazilian Amazon from 2004 to 2020 (in 1,000 square kilometres per year)
Research into the communication of climate change and the role of emotion found that participants regularly mentioned a high emotional component when presented with bird’s eye images that demonstrated the scale of deforestation.[ii] The research concluded that the emotional response driven by emotional storytelling, especially in the form of documentaries, generated concern and a desire for action.[iii] Whilst deforestation in the context of climate change has, in the age of net zero promises and decarbonisation, begun to have to share the limelight, global action and the role of emotion within it could still have a place as new green opportunities crop up around the world.
There is an undeniable emotional effect when each of us thinks about climate change; we are each individually affected by what we learn and see of the climate crisis. But by virtue of this deeply personal reaction, climate action can at the same time be deeply polarising. This is perhaps best typified by the reaction to climate activist Greta Thunberg. Thunberg, who founded the "Fridays for Future" movement, has faced both intense criticism and unerring support from politicians, the media, and social media users. These responses have ranged from more objective critique to verbal abuse and hatred. Psychologically the emotional responses to her are a reflection of the beliefs and sentiments people have about climate change.
Humans are suggested to be ill-equipped to understand climate change as such a complex subject both in a geographical and temporal scale. Research suggests that this creates a psychological barrier to acting on climate change. People frequently consider climate change to be a remote problem that has little bearing on them personally. Thus, many psychological processes might inhibit or inspire behaviours connected to climate change: first, a condition of ignorance and denial about the presence of climate change and second, affective processes driving or prohibiting people from environment-friendly action.[iv]
Speaking specifically of those working in the area of climate change, between 2014 and 2020, research was conducted that simply asked climate scientists how climate change made them feel. Fifty climate researchers wrote letters; some writing follow-up letters for a total of 73. These letters were coded to identify the emotional component.
The emotion of climate scientists
Whilst there is a wide range of emotions across all the letters, four emotions are mentioned far more than others, afraid, angry, hopeful/optimistic and sad. The paper, titled “it is ok to feel the way you do”, takes a bold step forward, particularly in scientific circles. The scientific method primarily seeks to eliminate emotion due to its potential as a source of bias, but as we discussed the role of emotion in action on deforestation, is there a new role for emotion in the field of climate science. It is also important as a World Economic Forum survey (in 2021) found that 70% of people trust climate scientists, a 13% rise since 2019.[vi] There is perhaps an argument that the removal of emotion from the scientific process is what garners such belief in its reliability; however, if the case was that trust in the science translated to trust in how that science made those who developed it feel, it could be incredibly powerful. If true, then encouraging outspoken emotion from climate scientists and, where appropriate, combining this with the documentary storytelling that had such an impact on the topic of deforestation may present an opportunity to depolarise the issue. If we are happy to rely on the mountains of knowledge that many climate scientists have amassed, would that reliance mean that the emotions that they have tied to it be believed in too? Could their stories provide an emotional unity that removes the division from the subject?
If emotion could play the same role in climate action as it did in unifying global action on deforestation, then perhaps there is a path to multilateralism, described by the UNFCC as “the world’s vehicle for addressing climate change”.[vii]
Whilst there is, without a doubt, more research to be done on how emotion can play a part in global climate action, you don’t have to wait that long to start the conversation. Talking to a friend, a colleague, or a family member about how the climate crisis makes you feel can be the first step to realising that, even where you may disagree on what to do about it, its effect on you may be the same.
[i] Statista- Deforestation area in the Brazilian Amazon from 2004 to 2020
[ii] Climactic Change- Communicating climate change through documentary film: imagery, emotion, and efficacy
[iii] Ibid
[iv] Current Opinion in Psychology- Affect, (group-based) emotions, and climate change action
[v] The Lancet- Climate emotions: it is ok to feel the way you do
[vi] WEF- Trust in climate science is strong, but optimism about progress is limited: Global survey
[vii] UNFCC- Multilateralism Key to Achieving Climate Goals
Oscar is a recent graduate with a background in earth science. He is currently studying an MSc focussing on disaster responses, emergency planning and community resilience. His postgraduate research project will assess the link between climate crisis risk perception and attitudes to green energy projects. “Adapting to the climate crisis through the pursuit of net zero requires community engagement and understanding. Zero Carbon Academy’s goals closely align with this approach and I’m excited to have the opportunity to research and communicate a variety of topics relating to our environment and sustainability”.
